953 


UC-NRLF 


35 


AGRICOLA 

An   Idyl 

By 

MARCUS   ELAKEY^ALLMOND 
A   M..    LL.D. 

University  of  Virginia 

Author  of 

"Eatelle" 

"Estelle  and   other   Poems" 
"Fairfax  My  Lord" 
"Outline    of   Latin  Syntax" 


JOHN   P.    MORTON   CO. 
Louisville,    Ky. 
1885 


Mien  E.   Allmond 

1316   So.  West lake   Avo. 

Los   Angolas  6,   Calif. 


75-3 


An  Easter-tide  -  Tt\vas  years  ago, 

The  sunlight  shone  upon  the  earth, 

The  green  grass  took  a  greener  hue, 

The  young  leaves  gladdened  at  their  birth, 

The  bird  sang  on  the  bush  and  tree, 

The  flowers  timidly  looked  forth 

And  smiled  because  she  did  not  see 

The  icy  foot-prints  o±  the  North. 

The  Easter  bells,  in  low  sweet  tones, 

Rang  out  within  the  Village  near, 

And  fell  a  welcome  message  on 

Pull  many  an  eager  list'ning  ear. 

The  Village  folk  in  simple  wise 

The  old  and  young,  the  rich  and  poor 

With  all  the  neighb'ring  farm  folk  came, 

Their  risen  Saviour  to  adore. 

For  aged  parents  laid  to  r  est 

For  children  who  had  shunned  earth's  strife 

Each  stricken  couple  read,  "I  am 

The  Resurrection  and  the  Life," 

In  faith  believing,  their  response 

Was  fresh  and  sweet,  and  pure  and  true 

In  faith  believing,  man  and  wife 

A  richer  consolation  knew. 

The  widow,  in  her  weeds  of  woe 

With  features  still  with  suffering  rife, 

Bent  low  her  brow,  and  read,  "I  am 

The  Resurrection  and  the  Life," 

The  orphans  and  their  father  stood 

Bereft  of  mother  and  of  wife, 

And  each  responding  read,  "I  am 

The  Resurrection  and  the  Life." 

And  one  there  was  whose  jewels  shone 
Amid  her  silks  and  laces  fine, 
Whose  form  v/as  as  a  sylph's  for  grace, 
Whose  features  were  almost  divine; 
She  bowed  with  all  the  country-folk 
But  still  the  city's  wonted  air 
Disclosed  itself  in  all  she  did, 
And  told  her  rearing  unaware . 

And  there  within  a  neighb'ring  pew 
A  stalwart  form  and  noble  brow, 
An  honest-hearted  reverent  man 
Met  each  response  with  humble  bow, 
And  thus  in  measure  as  complete 
As  beats  the  drum  unto  the  fife, 
From  pews  apart  they  read,  "I  am 
The  Resurrection  and  the  life." 

M250521 

-i- 

A 


Her  tones  were  sweet,  her  eyes  looked  up, 

And  her  fair  beauty  cast  its  spell: 

His  heart  began  to  whisper  words 

His  better  judgment  thought  not  well. 

For  she  was  child  of  love  and  wealth, 

And  he  the  son  of  honest  toil, 

Whose  legacy  was  but  his  health 

And  some  small  gift  of  God's  good  soil. 

She  rode  the  boulevards  in  silk, 

He  walked  the  fields  all  ill  hedight. 

She  knew  the  slumb'rous  couch  of  ease, 

And  he  to  labor  morn  and  night, 

But  days  went  by,  and  then  they  met. 

And,  having  met,  would  meet  again, 

The  ecstacy  of  his  delight 

Foreran  the  ecstacy  of  pain. 

For  ohl  to  meet  and  merely  meet, 
And  oh!  to  go  and  leave  unsaid 
The  one  dear  thing  that  you  would  say  - 
This  is  a  fate  you  well  may  dread. 
At  length  for  old  acquaintance  sake 
They  walked  unto  a  neighb'ring  hill; 
The  landscape  lay  a  charming  scene, 
So  fresh,  so  beautiful,  and  still* 

She  spoke  of  God's  sweet  realms  of  peace, 
And  gladdened  at  the  noble  thought, 
"Rich  is  the  heart  that  bows  to  Him, 
And  learns  the  lessons  He  has  taught." 
He  stood  amazed,  this  child  of  wealth, 
This  fondling  of  the  city's  best, 
In  all  the  ways  of  fashion  dressed, 
What:  she,  as  he,  an  humble  man 
Who  labored  for  his  daily  bread, 
Could  feel  the  touch  of  God's  sweet  peace 
And  bow  to  Him  her  jeweled  head; 

It  was  a  revelation  grand; 
Here  was  a  common  ground  where  he 
Might  meet  her,  and,  in  meeting,  feel 
Himself  the  freest  of  the  free; 
For  ohl  the  country  far  and  wide, 
The  brook,  the  meadow,  and  the  wood, 
Spoke  volumes  of  the  Master's  love, 
That  goes  about  still  doing  good. 

And  as  he  told  her  what  he  saw 
In  all  those  wondrous  scenes  that  lay 
In  skies  above,  or  earth  beneath, 
Her  eyes  would  glow  at  what  he'd  say, 
And  then  in  turn  she  took  the  theme 
Of  that  late  life  that  she  had  spent 
Amid  the  social  circle's  round, 
With  its  wild  feverish  discontent. 

-2- 


, 


Chi  she  had  often  sighed,  she  said| 

For  one  sweet  breath  of  God!s  good  truth, 

For  one  dear  heart  whose  wealth  was  but 

Its  trust  in  God  and  laughing  youth; 

"Strength,  manhood,  faith,  in  God  and  man, 

Love  leal  and  tender  unto  me, 

My  woman !s  heart  would  not  exchange 

For  any  other  legacy. 

To  work  at  good,  and  wait  for  time 

To  bring  the  harvest  v/hen  he  can  - 

This  is  the  calling  and  the  mark 

Of  what  I  deem  a  real  man." 

The  sunlight  on  her  diamonds  shone, 

The  golden  brooch  gleamed  on  her  breast; 

More  rich  than  gold  or  diamonds  then 

Her  woman's  soul  stood  there  confessed. 

The  beauty  of  the  face  is  well, 
And  glads  the  heart  in  wondrous  wise, 
But  beauty  of  the  soul  will  make 
That  beauty  Love's  far  nobler  prize. 
Anew  his  love  glowed  with  delight; 
He  saw  that  gulf  that  stood  apart 
Begin  to  close  the  yawning  depth 
That  lay  between  his  and  her  heart. 

##   -::-*   •**-   -:H:- 

Again  'twas  in  the  Easter  tide, 
And  bells  within  the  village  near 
Rang  out  a  welcome  message  on 
Full  many  an  eager  llst'ning  ear.. 
The  village  folk,  in  simple  wise, 
The  old  and  young,  the  rich  and  poor, 
With  all  the  neighb'ring  farm-folk,  came 
Their  risen  Saviour  to  adore. 

For  aged  parents  laid  to  rest, 

For  children  who  had  shunned  earth's  strife, 

Each  stricken  couple  read,  "I  am 

The  Resurrection  and  the  Life." 

In  faith  believing,  their  response 

Was  fresh  and  sweet,  and  pure  and  true. 

In  faith  believing,  man  and  wife 

A  richer   consolation  knew. 

The  widow,  in  her  weeds  of  woe, 
Bent  low  her  brow,  and  read,  "I  Am 
The  Resurrection  and  'the  Life." 
The  orphans  and  their  father  stood, 
Bereft  of  mother  and  of  wife, 
And  each  responding  read,  "I  Am 
The  Resurrection  and  the  Life" 


-3- 


And  two  in  measure  as  complete 
As  beats  the  drum  unto  the  fife, 
From  out  the  same  pew  read,  "I  Am 
The  Resurrection  and  the  Life," 


The  easter  day  was  passing  out, 
The  Easter  sun  was  sinking  low; 
They  moved  in  quiet  converse  on, 
A  measured  step  and  wondrous  slow, 
We  know  not  how  It  came  about, 
But  on  that  afternoon  he  told 
A  story  that  is  ever  new, 
And  yet  a  story  ever  old, 
She  did  not  say  him  yes  or  nay, 
But  still  he  knew  her  meaning  true; 
Her  hand  -  it  lingered  just  a  bit 
That  evening  when  she  bade  adieu. 


When  next  they  met,  the  city's  glare 

Shone  round  them  in  a  golden  sheen; 

She  moved  amid  the  regal  halls 

The  very  image  of  a  queen. 

He  found  her  quite  as  welcoming 

As  she  was  ever  want  to  be  - 

But  that  was  all,  the  rest,  he  found 

Were  not  so  glad  by  half  as  she, 

Her  father  had  a  stately  step, 

A  hand  that  was  so  icy  cold, 

His  every  action  seemed  to  say  - 

"Ive  locked  and  sealed  my  chest  of  gold." 

"I  care,  .not,"  thought  Agricola, 

"For  hands  and  brains  can  work  their  way 

And  laughing  love  that's  leal  and  true 

Will  win  the  battle  any  day." 

He  told  her  when  'twas  opportune, 

He  was,  he  hoped,  a  real  man  - 

Would   "Work  at  good,  and  wait  for  Time 

To  bring  the  harvest  v/hen  he  can," 

She  begged  him  not  be  rash  to  ask 

A  hand  that  could  not  bring  a  dower  - 

"Who  misses  all  the  golden  fruit 

What  cares  he  for  the  orange  flower?" 

He  told  he  had  arms  of  strength, 

A  heart  all  full  of  love  and  youth  - 

A  field  well  tilled  and  filled  with  seed 

Of  God's  own  tender,  loving  truth, 

She  reached  her  little  hand  to  his, 

Looked  up  into  his  eyes  and  said, 

"Strength,  manhood,  faith  in  God  and  man, 

Love  leal  and  tender  -  these  I'll  wed." 


They  wedded,  and  the  country  round 
Knew  not  a  sweeter  gift  than  this, 
The  royal  life  that  God  had  made 
The  flowing  fountain  of  his  bliss. 
His  arms  with  newer  strength  now  wrought 
His  brain  a  quicker  impulse  found; 
The  fruit-trees  bent  beneath  their  load, 
The  grain-yield  cumbered  all  the  ground. 

It  was  not  Wealth,  but  Plenty  stood 
And  smiled  a  welcome  at  the  door; 
Love  laughs  at  deprivation  oft, 
And  sweet  content  is  never  poor, 
When  two  young  souls  blend  into  one, 
If  prayer  and  patience  with  them  dwell 
Then  will  success  crown  what's  begun 
His  work  was  hard;  his  rest  was  sweet; 

The  farm-house  knew  a  single  heart, 

She  willed,  he  wished;  she  said,  he  did; 

This  was  her  portion  and  his  part, 

For  strength,  that  is  heroic  strength, 

Bows  gently  to  the  loving  hand 

That  blesses  earth  while  yet  it  points 

The  way  unto  the  better  land. 

And  she  led  onward  and  he  bowed 

Himself  unto  her  gentle  sway; 

"Tv/as  Love  that  ushered  in  the  morn 

And  Love  that  ushered  out  the  day. 


A  las  I  A  lack  I  an  hour  there  came 
She  sank  to  slumber  on  his  breast; 
His  arms  he  folded  round  her  form; 
He  laid  her  v/ith  her  God  at  rest. 

xx    xx    xx    xx- 

Once  more  the  glad  world  welcomes  in, 

0  Easter-tide,  thy  holy  hour, 

And  April  renders  sweet  thy  path 

With  song  of  bird  and  bloom  of  flower. 

The  aged  heart  renews  its  faith 

The  youthful  heart  is  glad  with  glee, 

And  memory  counts  the  things  that  were 

While  Hope  dreams  of  the  things  to  be. 

The  Village  folk,  in  simple  wise 

The  old  and  young,  the  rich  and  poor, 

V/ith  all  the  neighboring  farm-folk,  come 

Their  risen  Saviour  to  adore. 

For  aged  parents  laid  to  rest, 

For  children  who  have  shunned  earth's  strife, 

Each  stricken  couple  reads,  "I  am 

The  Resurrection  and  the  Life." 

-5- 


V 


The  widow  in  her  weeds  of  woe, 

With  features  still  with  suff 'ring  rife 

Bends  low  her  brow,  and  reads,  "I  am 

The  Resurrection  and  the  Life," 

The  orphans  and  their  father  stand, 

Bereft  of  mother  and  of  v/ife, 

And  each  responding  reads,  "I  am 

The  Resurrection  and  the  Life." 

In  faith  believing,  their  response 

Is  fresh  and  sweet,  and  pure  and  leal, 

In  faith  believing,  each  and  all 

A  richer  consolation  feel. 

And  one  there  is  who  stands  within 

And  dreams  of  her  he  called  his  wife, 

In  faith  believing,  reads,"!  am 

The  Resurrection  and  the  Life," 

And  as  he  stands  and  makes  response 
And  rests  his  head  upon  his  hand, 
He  catches  through  the  shadows  round 
Fair  glimpses  of  the  better  land, 
And  sees  a  face  as  fair  and  sweet 
As  ever  angel  faces  are; 
And  in  her  hand  a  palm  branch  is, 
And  on  her  brow  a  risen  star. 

And  then  from  out  that  holy  realm 

He  hears  the  sweet  voice  of  his  wife 

Unite  with  his,  and  read,  "I  am 

The  Resurrection  and  the  Life," 

And  then  his  rapt  soul  seems  at  length 

To  be  within  that  endless  day 

Where  hearts  that  love  and  hands  that  join 

Are  One  forever  and  for  aye. 


Copyright  1885 
Marcus  Blakey  Allmond 


P.S.  -  This  is  a  copy  from  the  original  (first  edition)  in  the 

Henry  E.  Huntington  Library  and  Art  Galleries,  Pasadena,  Calif 


-6- 


Manufactured  ku 

6AYLORD  BROS.  Inc. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Stockton,  Calif. 


[JLllmond,   M«BL 

;i ri  cols      fci    i dyX « 


953 
A439 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


